


Not-So-Secret Secrets

by stardustkr7



Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batgirl of Burnside
Genre: Batgirl of Burnside - Freeform, F/M, valentines day prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-08
Updated: 2015-02-08
Packaged: 2018-03-11 01:54:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3311225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardustkr7/pseuds/stardustkr7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I may have been admiring you not so secretly.”<br/>Barbara rethinks some of her secrets after Qadir reveals one of his own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not-So-Secret Secrets

 

Even the cafe in the tech building had been unable to escape the Valentines Day fever that had hit Burnside College. Pink and red crepe paper was strung throughout the lounge. The tables even had little candles on them. 

Barbara sighed as she wandered over to Qadir, his laptop open and two mugs of tea already on the table, as per their usual study arrangement. 

"This is crazy," said Barbara, motioning to all the decorations surrounding them. 

"Yeah, people get really into it here," he said, shaking his head. "You got big plans tonight?"

"Nope, too busy," she said. It was partly true. Now that Hooq was working again, the very few matches she had gotten ended in cancelled plans because of her night work. Of course, once or twice she had seen Qadir's profile on her list of matches. She wondered if he noticed hers popping up on his notifications too. "You?"

Qadir chuckled not so cheerfully and ruffled his hair -- Babs noticed he always did that when he was bashful. "Nah, that doesn't happen to me,” he said.

"You don't know that. Is there someone you're interested in?" she said, opening her laptop. Qadir was smart, funny, and really cute. Of course, maybe if she wasn't taking up all his time as Batgirl, asking him for help with designing her tech, he could actually get out more. 

“Uh, nah… I mean, not really,” he said, shifting uncomfortably.

But Barbara was a pretty decent detective. She narrowed her eyes at him, knowing very well he wasn’t being completely truthful. “Qadir, you do like someone,” she said.

He glanced around and then leaned forward a little. “Look, you can’t tell … and you can’t laugh.”

“I wouldn’t laugh, I promise,” said Barbara.

“Well, you know how I’ve, uh, met Batgirl a few times?”

She felt her heart skip a beat. Of course, he still didn’t know. She wanted to tell him, tell someone here who she really was, but it was never the right time.

“I just … I really admire her. She’s just so brave and smart. And she cares about doing the right thing. I just like her,” he said, looking down at the table, blushing hard. Then he sat back and sighed. “Okay, go ahead, laugh now. I have a crush on a superhero who’s way out of my league.”

“Oh, I mean, that’s not silly at all,” said Barbara quickly. Her mind was reeling. Should she tell him now? But he liked Batgirl, not necessarily her. “And you never know. I’m sure she’s a regular person who might like to date a great guy like you when she’s not too busy with hero work.”

“Yeah, I doubt it,” he said, turning back to his school work.

****

* * *

 

It had been near impossible to focus on studying after Qadir had just unknowingly admitted to liking her. And now, as Batgirl stood from one of the higher vantage points of the city, his words still echoed in her mind.

 _Brave and smart._ He had called her brave and smart. She knew she had admirers, at least 20,000 of them according to her Pixtagraph account. But he liked _her_.

If she were honest with herself, she did feel something. There was a sort of quiet, comfortable warmth she felt around him that flickered with excitement whenever they got to talking about their shared interests in tech. And she couldn’t deny the flutter in her stomach when she saw his name on her list of matches.

She had been crushing on guys around here so easily since moving to Burnside. But really, when it was a guy like Qadir … maybe that wasn’t a bad thing.

And he liked Batgirl, a huge important part of her. But did he feel that way about Barbara?

Patrol had been almost dead tonight. Everyone was too busy enjoying their Valentines. She really should just turn in for the night. But she had to know.

Batgirl readied her grapple and then she looked in the direction of his apartment. Maybe … maybe she could just swing by, see if he was still up. And then what?

It was a half formed plan and normally she wasn’t a fan of those. She steadied herself and cast her line, before she could change her mind.

****

* * *

 

It was after midnight and Qadir seriously considered devoting another hour to battling aliens all alone in his flat. He tossed aside the video game controller and rubbed at his itching eyes. Just when he had decided to use better judgment and call it a night though, he heard knocking at his window.

Seeing a flash of blue, he quickly got up and opened it. Batgirl neatly tumbled inside.

“Hey,” she greeted, smiling brightly.

“Uh, hey, what’re you doing here?” Qadir asked. When her smile fell slightly, he quickly added, “Not that I mind! It’s just pretty late and I figured, uh, someone like you—“

“Someone like me what?” she asked.

“Well I figured you would be out tonight,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck and feeling his face get warm.

“Nope, too busy,” said Batgirl.

Something about the way she said it struck him as very familiar.

“Oh, of course, well did you need something from the lab?” he asked, pointing over his shoulder in the vague direction of the college.

“No, Qadir, actually … I wanted to tell you something,” she said, taking a step forward.

Great, clearly he had fallen asleep on the couch because a lot of his dreams started this way lately. And of course on this day of all days he would be dreaming about her.

“Oh, okay, I’m listening,” he said.

Batgirl hesitated, her smile suddenly unsure. And then she bowed her head slightly, reaching up to pull off the cowl that masked her face.

“I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while, to be honest,” she said, shaking her hair out before looking up at him. “It’s just never felt like a good time.”

Qadir gaped at her. “B-Barbara?”

She nodded, biting her lip and waiting for him to decide what next.

It made sense though, in a way even his dreams wouldn’t have figured out. Batgirl showed up in Burnside around the same time she did, even sought him out after Barbara had met him. And how could he possibly miss how much they looked alike?

He had told her earlier how he felt. No wonder she had been so off, even after promising not to laugh. Brilliant, gorgeous Barbara Gordon and brave, smart (and just as gorgeous) Batgirl were the same.

“Qadir?” she prompted after a few moments passed as his brain attempted to work.

"I-I may have been admiring you not so secretly,” he finally said.

Barbara smiled again. “Why do you think I’m here?” Then her smile fell a little. “I know you might be angry with me for not saying anything sooner. But this isn’t something I tell a lot of people, even the ones I do trust. I mean, you’ve seen what my life is like and it’s hard to invite people in like that.”

She was babbling, something he had never really expected to witness from Batgirl. But he knew Barbara and nervous babbling was definitely her. How many times had she worried to him about her thesis?

“What you told me this afternoon … if me being Batgirl changes things and you don’t still feel that way, I understand--”

So he did the only thing he could think of to get her attention again. Putting his hands on her cheeks, he kissed her firmly. The bold move surprised her, but soon she was kissing him back, her hands resting on his chest.

“Wow,” she whispered when he pulled away.

“Babs, I promise I’ll keep your secret,” said Qadir, letting his fingers trail through her hair. He could feel her shoulders relaxing as he said it.

“Thank you,” said Barbara, pulling him into another sweet kiss.

This Valentine’s Day had definitely turned out a lot better than he expected.


End file.
